Priestess of The Morrigan: Prayers, Rituals & Devotional Work to the Great Queen 

By Stephanie Woodfield

Authoress Stephanie Woodfield is a priestess to the Goddess Morrigan. This book serves to recount her experiences as a priestess of the Morrigan. In this book she discusses the identity of the Morrigan and other goddesses that are associated with her. She also discusses some of the challenges involved with being a priestess and running rituals for pagan. Included at the end of the book are rituals and working for the Morrigan.

Who is the Morrigan? Is the Morrigan a title or is it the Goddesses name. In some Irish folktales she is identified as Morrigan. She is also identified with three other Goddesses. They are Anu, Baive and Macha. Anu is a mother goddess. Macha is a horse goddess and Baive can be a furious goddess of war. Each of these three goddesses conflated with Morrigan have their own separate histories along with different parentages, children and husbands.

The Morrigan is identified as a goddess of war. She does not crave war and relish it like her reputation suggests but rather she recognizes the need for war and battle at times. She does weep for the fallen and realizes the cost. She is concerned with making and keeping the peace. This gets into the question, what is the nature of the Morrigan.

Many in the Pagan community did not take to the Morrigan until quite a bit of time elapsed. Many felt that she was a violent goddess who promoted anger and fighting. Now her worship is more widespread and it is realized that she is not all about violence. Morrigan is a tough goddess who expect certain things from her devotees. She expect them to work on themselves and throw away the parts of themselves that are no longer useful. When the Morrigan gives advice it better be heeded or she might ignore you. If you say your are going to do something then you better do it or a string of bad luck will follow.

Other areas of controversy include how the Morrigan is portrayed. One time she was portrayed in the nude. This caused quite a bit of controversy. Was portraying her naked making her like an erotic goddess? She is a goddess of war but not a goddess of love. The Celts used to go out to battle naked dressed in blue dye called Woad. So showing her naked is a display of power and sovereignty. In the mythos she is not a lusty goddess who goes after men. In fact she is married to the Dagda and has a son with him named Mecha.

Sometimes there are battle in the community. Often times it is a power struggle or an ideological difference. Sometimes it involves back stabbing and the priestess would have to expel someone from the group. Or else it could be solved by peaceful overtures and compromise.  There are other challenges as well. Balancing your life is a real challenge. Being a pagan priest or priestess is difficult. Unlike regular clergy who gets paid from their house of worship , Pagans have to hold down outside jobs for income. They also have to have time for the congregants and for their relationship with deity. This book covers a lot. Dive in and learn.

 

 

The brief Life of Count Dracula

 

This was a short easy read on the life of Vlad the Impaler.  “In Search of Dracula” however remains the best of Vlad the Impaler. The book covers the usual ground including Vlad’s birth, his three reigns in Wallachia and a few up and downs of his political career.  There were a few new facts learned as well. Such facts include the monasteries, forts and building he helped build. It also shows that Vlad the Impaler has living descendants and was and still connected to other European royalty.

The books biggest weakness as far as I am concerned was the grammar and spelling. The book was littered with poor grammar and spelling mistakes. Hard to take a work seriously if the translator cannot get the spelling and grammar correct.

What jumps out is that his first reign was short. His second reign was the longest. The third second longest. Throughout his rule Vlad was constantly challenged both without and within his realm. From outside his realm threats were emanating from Turkey. The Ottomans wanted puppet ruler in places like Wallachia who would pay tribute and provide troops for the janissaries. The Ottoman’s wanted to conquer Europe. Within his realm there were the Saxon merchants who were settled there by the Romans and the Boyars. Boyars were the elite rich people. Both groups were at odds with the Voivode or the ruler of Wallachia.

Vlad had tactics to deal with these groups.  There were often military raids for backing pretenders to the throne. Many Boyars were taken to build a castle and then killed. The Saxon merchants unhappy with Vlad spread stories about him though Europe. It was Boyars who killed his father and oldest brother.

There were three rulers known for fighting the Ottomans. First was Jonas Hunyadi from Hungary , Vlad Dracula and Stephan the Great from Moldovia. So vital was Wallachia and these other areas that the Pope sent money to Wallachia to fight the Ottomans but Hunyadi ended up keeping the funds and only arriving at the last minutes.

Vlad’s second reign was undone thanks the Boyars. They sent a fake letter to the ruler of Hungary saying that Vlad was conspiring with Ottoman forces to capture the ruler. This lead to Vlad being imprisoned in Hungary for 12 years. He married Hungarian royalty during this time and he fought on Hungary’s side during his imprisonment.  Vlad was ultimately killed in battle against the Ottomans. It is believed that he was beheaded and that his head was displayed outside the walls of Istanbul. Other beliefs say that his body was retried from the Ottomans an buried in Snagov.

 

The Witches of Arkansas

Witch of Tin Mountain

By Paulette Kennedy

 Going back through generations this story has two settings. Basically  Tim Mountain is a small town in Arkansas. The earlier era focuses on Deirdre and the second era is in 1931.

In 1881 Deirdre learns about her matrilineal family history. She is descended from a witch called Annilese she was seduced by a preacher named Nathaniel Walker. Nathaniel comes to town preaching and offer ring all sorts of cures through faith healing. Annilese is a witch and a midwife. She had a grimoire filled with Magic and remedies. She gave it to her son before she was burned alive 

around 50 years later another preacher returns offering the same thing. He tries to seduce Deirdre just like what was done to her mother Annilese. Her father had a clear memory of what transpired. To ditch this preacher, Deirdre is sent to Charleston where she attend a finishing school for women . Eventually she is called back. Seduced and impregnated by the preacher.

The preacher is not really a preacher but rather an incubus who seduced witches so he can give birth to a campion. Once the campion is born he can take over its body.

In 1931 Gracelyn is living in the small town. A midwife and a witch she is shunned by all until they need her services. Another so called preacher arrives and he wants Gracelyn’s body. He tries to turn the town against her. But she had one trick to banish the demon back to Hell.

A Dedication to Dionysus

 

The Orgia Khrinicles

 

By Sir John Philip Auletta

 

This book is a dedication to the God Dionysus.  The first part of the book is dedicated to quotes both by the author and others inspired by the god Dionysus. The second part of the book is poetry inspired by the deity. Last part is prayers dedicated to the god. 

 

This is a book for someone who wants to dedicate themselves to this god. What you find useful will be up to you. There is no prescribed intimidation or elaborate rituals here. Nothing but a heartfelt connection to the god.

 

Along the way you will learn a bit about the god and about the author. Dionysus is a honed god.He is the god of many things. He is the god of intoxication, theater, frenzied ecstasy and the vine to name his various attributes . Getting intoxicated on booze or anything else in his name is one way to honor him.

 

Dionysus was the son of Zeus  and a human princess named Semele. She may have been worshipped as a goddess at one point. Hera, zeus’s wife was always jealous of Zeus’s lovers and so she set out to have him destroyed and the Titans were in on it. To keep him alive Dionysus was raised on Mount Nysa and cared for by maenads or rather female devoted to the god. Eventually the titans found him and killed him. Zeus in his anger fried them all with electric bolts. From the ashes of the titans and Dionysus humanity was formed. Hence we are part titan and part Dionysus. From Dionysus remaining heart he was reconstituted. His worshippers went into the forest to worship him. Their activities were orgiastic and fueled by wine. His maenads were his female followers while the satyrs were his priests or male followers.

 

John Philip Auletta can claim descent from the Ptolemies. They were dedicated to Dionysus and may have descended from the god. Auletta Comes from a Greek cognate pertaining to Dionysus. He was also a Gang member serving life sentences for a murder spree by his gang. The incarceration has forced him to go inside himself. In the prison he misses being able to go out into the wood an Commune with his god Along with certain refreshments. He is a strong believer in the goddess. He is also part of a few pagan organizations .

 

What follows now is a sample of his quotes. These bits of wisdom are given over along with the inspiration .

 

48. The Way Of The Satyr is a wild and simple Path that celebrates the chaotic joys and beauties of Nature and of being half animal/half human. It’s about the wonderful experiences of Dionysus in all His forms. Praising the Mask itself... (Inspired By: Komos) **Komos—Satyr of festive banquets and the cup-bearer of Dionysus. However, there is no single right way to celebrate this path, all have value and all can inspire some new ways of experience.

 

Now comes an example of some poetry.

 

“Liber Dionysus” (Idolotry) It feels like my lifeline is seduced into a trance, while worshipping your figure polished in the highlights of your stance. As I make a grandstand, there is this pressure throbbing in my head, As if I'm juggling with my thoughts where the frenzy seems to dance. (So I bow before you) An artistical work of liberal stone art you are, sure that the framework of your wild side was much harder to carve, but on any given Anthesteria, your idol beauty bringeth smiles that twinkle like stars. The same delicate beauty that brings madness to an ever so beating heart. (I light the candles) This is not a love story of Beauty and the Beast, it's more like a suitable attraction with features of you and me. Envisioning a chaotic future with us as one beautiful piece, the symbol of enraptured love connected by a force that refuses to ease. (I burn the incense) The very sight of you is enticing in many ways, an astonishing exhibit that glosses under any shade. A shrine of its own no one can duplicate nor imitate, The art of your creation has relations to night and day... (I sip the wine) Bios Dionusou ** This poem was inspired by how jealous my ex-girl was over the bond I had with my Dionysus idol. She became so mad one day, she told all of her friends that I was a stupid idol worshipper. The mistake she made was even trying to compare herself to Dionysus.

 

Finally an example of prayer.  

 

Dionusou Anax, I drink of You today, grateful that You will place the mighty Thyrus in my hands, gracing me in fawn skin. I crave to dwell in Your presence-wild and untamed. I want to know Your pleasures in every way They can be known. Destroy and rebuild me in Your image so that I come to please You better. Crown me in Your Ivy and choke me with Your vine in ways that I know both pleasure and pain, for You are the uniter of opposites. I seek the very truth of who You are, because I know that You embody the very truth of who I am..... Io Euoi !!!

 

Remember that when you don the mask of the god the god dons a mask of you.

 

 

Invoking Lilith the Dark Goddess

 

This little book is dedicated to the dark goddess Lilith. The most valuable parts of the book are the prayers themselves. While this book has merit it also has it’s areas of weakness.

If one wants to start dedicating themselves to Lilith this book has some valuable prayers, incantations etc. the weakness in the book is some of the facts which impact the prayers . The first fact the author got wrong is the difference between theurgic  and thaumaturgic magic. Theurgic is not just praying to the gods in hope that you will get something while thaumaturgic magic is asking for the same thing but using your own resources.

Theurgic magic is magic thst has us summon higher powers but it is for spiritual enlightenment or to commune with the gods. Thaumaturgic magic is love and money spells .

Next the author conflated Lilith with other deities like Ishtar, Alilat, Al Uzza etc. the ancients Babylonians never say 

Ilith or Ishtar as one. Alilat and Uzza are from the Arabian peninsula and have nothing to Do with Lilith.

The author is right when he addresses prayer. Praying to deities does not get us anything . We have to work for it. Prayer helps us focus our mind and energies on what we want and the gods do help out a little bit.

Lilith has a long history going all the way back into Sumeria which precedes the biblical Israel. Lilith started off as Lamashtu, a demon who killed babies in their crib and seduced men in their dreams. Later she morphed into Lilitu.  In the Bible Ilith was the first woman but she would not submit to Adam.

The author does get it right on left hand path philosophy. Dark deities want us to have our independence and they taught us about the stars, science and technology .

The main weakness of this book is the leaving out of history and incorrect facts. In case the reader is interested Inshall include so,e of the prayers and rituals.

Steps of prayer to Lilith

1. Go before the altar, Light the candle that is in front of the image of Lilith. 2. Bow your head. 3. Take a couple of minutes to contemplate what you are going to say. Imagine Lilith’s magnificent presence in front of you. 4. Say what comes from your heart. 5. At the end of your prayer say, "Nema." 6, Snuff out the candle.

Getting rid of negativity 

Before the ritual, write down all of the negative things you want to expel from your life. It could be a stressful job, a bad relationship, a bad habit, a negative thinking pattern, etc.. Invoke Lilith and Take 1 black candle and write all of these things onto the surface of the candle along with Lilith’s sigil.  Anoint the candle with Oleum of your choice or none at all. Within the ritual circle, charge the candie with all the anger, sadness, jealousy, etc... you feel regarding these situations, people, or things. Light the candle and imagine yourself being filled with a white light through the energies of Lilith so that none of these things can affect you. Burn the piece of paper. Close the rite and thank mother Lilith, but let the candle continue to burn down to nothing.

Wielding the Magic Sword of Moses

 

This Jewish spell book is one of the oldest spell books around. It was written in the Northern area of Israel around the second temple periods. Another old book is the Sefer Raziel. Both books are Jewish magic but in ways they are different. Sefer Raziel has the order of angels and you get to call on them but you can do it out of order and not call on all of them at once. With the Sword of Moses you go up in ascending order.  Sefer Raziel also uses more Greek magical ideas than does the Sword of Moses. Raziel has the practitioner get fancy implements and uses some bizarre animal parts. Raziel also has spells for wealth, love, money and power, along with revenge , binding spells and curses. Sord of Moses has spells for increasing Torah knowledge, increasing wisdom, cursing and binding foes and healing. Sword of Moses is more Jewish then Sefer Raziel

Jewish magic in comparison to modern magic or Wiccan practices is rather different.  Take a look at the three fold law. It says what you put out comes back at you three fold. So if you curse someone you too will be cursed. Do what thou wilt but harm none. Once again no negative magic against anyone. This work has no such compunction. If someone is wronging you and you need magic then by all means use it. Another difference is the use of special tool. In modern magical systems you have daggers, wands, chalices etc. All ritually cleansed and charged. In Jewish Magic the practitioner is the tool. You just read the spell and use your word. Occasionally a spell will call for the use of a bay leaf or an iron implement but nothing super fancy. The Practitioner did not have to be religious.

The Rabbis of old never really condemned magic outright. Maybe certain practices like necromancy and handling the dead.  But not hear. To use this book is simple. First step you need to do is fast for three days having only water during the day and bread and water at night, preferable baked by you. You need these three days in order to purify your soul. The angels can be quite dangerous to work with. After that then you can cast spells. The Sword in question is the divine names of God. Those names power everything. The magical has lots to do with Hekhalot Jewish mysticism.

Lots of the spells involve writing verses on parchment or lead plate inclusive of the petitioners name and their mother’s name. Sometimes the practitioner will bless some herbs for medicinal purposes. The petitioner will carry the inscriptions on their body or wear it.

There is no circle casting. In order to get that sacred space the practitioner would pull the tallit over their head and block out the rest of the world. Jewish magic pays no significance to moon phases, nor does it pay much attention to planetary times and days.

 

If you are looking for simple non complicated magic to do this one is it. Not everyone likes all the complicated stuff of modern magical practice. You don’t have to be Jewish to use this book.

 

Treading the Path of the Traditional Witch

 

The Crooked Path

By Kelden

 

Great book for those wanting to practice Traditional Witchcraft. This is seriously one of the best. It makes entrance into the craft easy and comprehensible. You still have to do the work though. The first part of the book covers history and compare the traditional craft to wicca.  Many witches have been introduced into both traditions so there might not be too much difference between the two. Yet on many level’s there are. Both Wicca and Traditional Craft borrowed from grimoires and folk magic. While both have rituals, Wicca tends to be more celebratory where as the traditional craft is more about low magic or sorcery using magic to manifest things in your life . In Wicca they primarily work with the gods while in traditional craft they honor the witch father and mother. Which is the goddess and the God and the god is still the horned god of old with symbolism and all. In the Traditional Craft also work with familiars, ancestors and the fetch. They may work with it in Wicca but not as much in the traditional craft.

 

In Wicca you cast a circle whereas in traditional craft they call it laying the compass. It involves the use of the stang, representation of the Horned God and laying the altar at its feet or having one set up. In traditional craft they charge tools and consecrate them for nothing else. In traditional craft your tools are used everyday cause back in the day ceremonial tools were too expensive and regular tools could be charged and used for ritual and mundane purposes. Wicca is more of a religion whereas Traditional Craft is not but still a form of spirituality.

After discussing history and development of the craft the author gets into the meet of the book. There are chapters on spell craft and rituals. Traditional Craft is more about working with spirits and working in the other world. The Other World is the world outside of our physical world. This could be the underworld where the dead reside and maybe our ancestors. The Mid World has a spiritual side that we could explore and then there is the upperworld where the deities dwell. There are mediations in the book that tell one how to cross the hedge and access the axis mundi to access the other world.

Traditional Craft has the practitioner call on other spirits besides the deities. Once could call on one’s ancestors. Ancestors can be blood or family ancestors, or they could be craft ancestors who were the leaders of the given tradition. A third set of ancestors are the people who lived and died on the land before we did and their spirits are still connected to the place.

Traditional Craft is about being connected to the land. Kelden talks about asking the spirit of a plant, tree , rock or Genius Loci (Guardian of the area) for permission and making sure to receive it before taking things out of nature and using them. One has to make a thank you offering for what they were allowed to take.

The book has a slew of exercises that has the reader do rituals , make tools, craft spells  and everything you need to get started.  Meaty book and easy to read and digest the material.